Mauritius Travel Guide & Itinerary

Located off the coast of East Africa, in close proximity to Madagascar, Mauritius is known to be one of the best places in the world for a luxury honeymoon destination or even a family vacation. Surprisingly, 67 % of its population are from Indian origins while the rest are from French territories. This island nation also has its fair share of water activities/sports, luxury beach resorts, mountain cliffs among others. The below detailed Mauritius Travel Guide gives all the information on things to do, what to eat and where to stay.

Visa

Best part about Mauritius is its free visa. You can stay upto 30 days with a free Tourist Visa (Stamped on arrival) , applicable for most country people including India.

Currency

Mauritius uses the Mauritian Rupee. However some stores in Mauritius accepts Euros as well.

Recommendation : While travelling from India, convert INR to Euros from your local currency shop and once you land in Mauritius, convert Euros to Mauritian Rupee at a good rate from a local Foreign exchange shop.

  • 1USD = 43 Mauritian Rupee
  • 1 EUR = 46 Mauritian Rupee
  • 1 Mauritian Rupee = 1.78 INR

Languages spoken in Mauritius

Though most people speak proper English here, primarily Mauritian speak French Creole (a subtle variation of French). Of course you can easily navigate everywhere with English & some basic French

Flights to Mauritius from India

Currently there are 2 options from India

  • Air Mauritius – Direct flight from Mumbai (5 weekly flights) – Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun & Mon

  • Air Austral – 1 stop flight via Reunion – Approx Return Fare (41K INR) from Chennai

Middle East Carriers like Emirates also goes to Mauritius, but tickets might be expensive .

Veg Food in Mauritius

If you want to classify one country (apart from India) where you can get so much variety of options in vegetarian, it’s definitely Mauritius. A rice eating nation, Mauritius offers plenty of options for vegetarians & Indian food as well. With a base of Rice, Banana , Coconut, Tomatoes, Jackfruit and Vegetables, Mauritius has so many interesting dishes to try out.

Pro Tip : Do check out the most popular restaurant in Mauritius called Wapalapam. Their impressive selection of veg foods esp the Jackfruit dish with rice is a must try

Most areas in Mauritius also has their share of Indian restaurants. However my recommendation to try out the veg Mauritian cuisine instead of standard Indian restaurants 🙂

Where to Stay in Mauritius

Mauritius offers different types of stay options. From 3-5 star restaurants, AirBNB’s or even beach resorts, you can be spoilt for choices From 3000 INR to 30,000 INR, you can stay across a wide variety of properties , be it on the beach side or near the capital area of Port Louis.

During my recent trip, I stayed across 3 different properties

  • Tamarin Veranda Beach resort

An earthy beach resort, along the beach of Tamarin Bay, this property is very budget friendly as well. It has 2 large swimming pools (One being an infinity pool), two restaurants, outdoor & indoor games and a lovely garden side room. Everything about the property has an earthy feeling with such warm friendly service. It is located along the Central western coast of Mauritius

Verandah by Tamarin
  • Domaine De Grand Baie

An apart-hotel, Domaine De Grand Baie offers the comfort of a luxury hotel and the amenities of an apartment with large spacious double bedrooms. The property has a spa, fitness centre, a huge restaurant and very close to the main beach area as well. It is located along the northern side of Mauritius.

  • Le Meridien Ile Mauris

This super premium grand property of Le Meridien, is a cut above the rest across all properties of Mauritius. Wtihout a doubt, it’s one of the finest properties I’ve stayed all over the world.

The resort boasts 261 rooms stylishly spread along the beach, giving an exceptional feeling of space and relaxation. Do not miss out on the premium suite stays here that offers quite an exceptional premium stay.

Le Meridien - Mauritius Itinerary
Le Meridien, Ile Mauris, Mauritius

Mauritius Travel Guide

If you think Mauritius is all about island hopping and beaches, this blog might come across as a big surprise to you. My one week trip to Mauritius was frankly an eye opener to me as I discovered so much about this amazing island nation.

So here’s a list of water / non-water based activities

Water Based Activities in Mauritius

Mauritius Travel Guide - Coral Island

With plenty of beaches and islands all around the place, you are never far from a beach . Here’s some of the things you can do

  • Scuba Diving / Snorkeling
  • River Rafting
  • Kayaking
  • Dolphin Spotting & Swimming alongside them in Dolphin Bay, Black River, Tamarin
  • Catamaran Rides
  • Private Island Day trips – to Ile Aux Cerfs or Ile Des Deux Cocos or Flat Island
Mauritius Travel Guide - Flat Islands
  • Swimming in Beaches / Private Islands
  • Surfing in the seas

Non Water-based Island Activities in Mauritius

Visit Mauritius ‘s biggest Oceanarium :

An Aquarium with 1000’s of fishes, sharks and other sea animals in massive overhead tanks that can leave you spellbound. In fact, I discovered so many varieties of Jellyfishes in this arena. A definite visit when you visit Port Louis, Mauritius.

Oceanarium - Mauritius Travel Guide
Oceanarium

Visit Hindu Temples

There are 6 large temples in Mauritius, 3 of them being a must visit

  • Shiva & Parvathi Temple

The Mangal Mahadev statue in the Grand Bassin of Mauritius is the most sacred and religious monument in the island nation.
This 108ft high Shiva and Parvati statue, individually, is the second largest Shiva statue in the world

  • Ganga Talao

Considered the most sacred temple in Mauritius, Ganga Talao or Grand Bassin, is located on top of a crater lake in Savanne district, nestled in the mountains of Mauritius.

Ganga Talao - Mauritius Itinerary
  • Sokkalingam Meenakshi Amman Kovil

A temple that was based on the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple in India , the Sokkalingam Meenakshi amman temple gives the perfect vibe of a temple, like in Chennai

Visit the 7 Coloured Earth

A geopark in Mauritius, that’s almost like a wonder of Earth’s beauty. Volcanic rocks were subjected to hydrolysis that caused the resulting soil containing iron and aluminum. These were cooled down to multiple temperatures simultaneously causing a multi coloured soil separation. In fact even if you take them on hand and mix, it’ll still separate into multi coloured soil.
The 7 coloured soil can be seen so clearly during sunrise with a rainbowish effect on the sandunes.
This geopark is rated to be one of the top tourist attractions in Mauritius and definitely something to experience

7 Coloured Earth

Shopping in Local Markets

There’s plenty of stuff you can buy from Mauritius as a gift back to your home. Here’s a list of things you can buy exclusively from Mauritius

La Caudon Waterfront, Mauritius
  • Dodo Bird Doll – National bird of Mauritius and now extinct but still highly missed by the islanders
  • Cane Sugar – Sugar cane was incidentally one of the biggest revenue generators for Mauritius and a pillar of their economy. When you visit one of the sugar factories, don’t miss out on buying a kilo of their cane sugar
  • Souvenirs like Magnets, T-shirts and Stickers with the famous Mauritius island logo
  • Wooden Boat – Something that’s a symbol of the island nation, the wooden sail boat souvenirs is a beautiful purchase for your showcase viewing.

So shopping is definitely something you keep in your Mauritius itinerary

Visit the famous La Sucre Sugar Factory

La Sucre Sugar Factory

Ever wondered how original raw cane sugar is being produced on a mass scale? Then you should definitely pay a visit to La Sucre Sugar factory. They give you a full tour of the museum , that demonstrates the actual production cycle. The best part : They have a small store selling 12 different types of sugar in various sweet proportions

So don’t forget to add an afternoon at the La Sucre in your Mauritius Itinerary

Rum Tasting Tour Rhumerie de Chamarel

Chamarel Rum Factory

You can enjoy a visit to the Rhumerie de Chamarel and have a guided tour of the factory and a detailed explanation of the rum making process,while you visit the distillery. They also offer a complimentary rum tasting session of their 7 different flavors of rum. You can check out their details here : https://www.rhumeriedechamarel.com/product/spices-rum/

Lion & Cheetah Safari @ Casela Zoo

Casela Zoo is one of the largest animal enclosures in Mauritius. From Rhinos, Zebras, Tortoises , Giraffees, they have an impressive list of African species in this place. However the biggest highlight is the “Walk with the Lions & Cheetah” offering. With experienced trainers alongside, you can actually get inside an actual mini enclosure of 2 large cheetahs and pet them.

Casela Zoo - Mauritius Itinerary
Casela Zoo

Note : I verified with Casela and they said both the Lion & Cheetahs were trained human-friendly . It is not drugged unlike other countries.

Maconde Point

Situated along the Baie Du Cap Coastal Road, the Maconde view point sits on top of a small hill with a stunning view of Le Morne Brabant mountain and the river beneath. The curvy road along Maconde is also known to be one of the most beautiful roads in the world and has featured in many film shootings.

Maconde Point - Mauritius Itinerary
Maconde Point, Mauritius

Mauritius Itinerary- 6 Nights 7 Days

I have put together this 7 day Mauritius Itinerary based on my schedule and trip in the month of April. This covers the length and breadth of what Mauritius has to offer . So do try to cover almost all places here mentioned.

Day 1

  • Arrival in Mauritius
  • Check in at Hotel
  • Lunch at a Local Mauritius Restaurant
  • Visit Slave Monument
  • Visit Maconde Point
  • Dinner & Activities at Hotel

Day 2

  • 0630 hrs Leave for Dolphin Watching in front of hotel beach
  • 0900 hrs              Back to the hotel. Breakfast.
  • 1100 hrs              Visit Grand Basin.
  • 1245 hrs              Visit Rhumerie Chamarel
  • 1330 hrs              Reach Le Chamarel restaurant for lunch
  • 1500 hrs              Visit Chamarel seven coloured earth
  • 1615 hrs              Visit Curious Corner / Trick Eye Museum
  • 1900 hrs              Dinner

Day 3

  • 0930 hrs          Casela Nature Park. Interaction with Lions & Safari.
  • 1230 hrs              Visit Glass Gallery
  • 1315 hrs              Leave for Moka
  • 1330 hrs              Lunch at Escale Creole.
  • 1500 hrs              Leave for
  • 1600 hrs              Visit Cap Malheureux Church
  • 1730 hrs              Arrive at Hotel
  • Dinner at the hotel.

Day 4

  • 0800 hrs              Transfer to Bain Boeuf beach
  • 0830 hrs-1530    Boat Trip, northern islands & Grill Lunch
  • Snorkeling in Island
  • 1630                    Start back from Island
  • 1800 Reach Mauritius
  • Dinner at the hotel.

Day 5

  • 0900 hrs              After breakfast, check out & leave for Port Louis
  • 0945 hrs              Visit Fort Adelaide
  • 1045 hrs              Visit Oceanarium
  • 1200 hrs              Caudan waterfront. Visit Blue Penny Museum
  • 1230 hrs              Lunch at Hotel Labourdonnais
  • 1330 hrs              Visit Crafts Bazar and Caudan Waterfront area.
  • 1545 hrs              Visit Apravasi Ghat.
  • 1700 hrs              Arrive and check in.

Day 6

  • 0915 hrs              After breakfast, leave for Aventure Du Sucre
  • 0945 hrs              Reach Sugar World
  • 1145 hrs              Visit & Lunch at Chateau De Labourdonnais
  • 1515 hrs              Pamplemousses Garden visit
  • 1645 hrs              Arrive at hotel and check in.

Day 7

  • Breakfast , Lunch at Resort
  • Check out for Flight

In case you have any details on my Mauritius Itinerary, please let me know.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All the data shown above will be stored by Chronicles of a World Traveller on www.anasiantraveller.com. At any point of time, you can contact us and select the data you wish to anonymise or delete so it cannot be linked to your email address any longer. When your data is anonymised or deleted, you will receive an email confirmation. We also use cookies and/or similar technologies to analyse customer behaviour, administer the website, track users' movements, and to collect information about users. This is done in order to personalise and enhance your experience with us.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.